Switch To Save The World
by TheAngelofFate
Summary: "The measure of a man's heart lies in what he's willing to sacrifice for his family." In which we see the conversation Stan has with Ford before the deal with Bill is struck to save the kids and the entire world. And Ford realizes just how wrong he had been about his brother (no slash whatsoever. Please R&R)


_*raises from the ashes_*

I LIIIVEEEEE

HELLO my fellow Gravity Falls peoples, it's been a while since I've seen all of you hasn't it? About four years since my last Gravity Falls fic? Yikes, I do apologize but honestly what can you do? Many people fall out of a show after it stops airing. Not to say I still don't love the show, I adore the show it's just my mind's been on other fandoms lately.

Don't ask me the rythme or reason as to why but for the time being I'm here and I wanted to greet all of you back, with this small little story about the possible conversation Ford and Stan could have had before Bill came back with the kids during Take Back The Falls.

Enjoy!

* * *

For the first few minutes, the two of them just stood there in silence. Both of them mulling over Ford's words in their heads as Bill's fortress shook with tremors from his terrifying pursuit of the kids. Stan couldn't believe it, after all they did. After everything they went through to get this far — even if Stan had been against it at first— had all been for nothing. Because now they only have two choices. It was either let Bill kill Dipper and Mabel or let the whole world suffer for choosing family over everyone else. They were all now caught between a rock and a hard place, literally everyone's chance for survival were on Ford's shoulder.

His brother was going to have to make an irreversible decision, on that was going to doom the entire world.

Two options.

Stan didn't like either of them

"What other choice do we have?"

Those words from his brother made Stan tightly grip the bars on their triangle shape prison, until his knuckles turned white. His chest ached with unyielding frustration knowing that surrendering and willingly letting the end of the world happen was all they could do now, that their one last chance to defeat Bill was gone, thanks to him. If only he hadn't been so damn stubborn, if only he hadn't let his bitterness towards Ford get the best of him.

If only he wasn't such a screw up.

"There's nothing in your mind he wants. It has to be me."

Half of the reason this was happening was Stan's fault. he should be able to do something. Anything, the kids and even more so the world shouldn't have to pay for his mistakes. Eyes still gazing at the ground, Stan looked up and saw the bars on their prison were casting his reflection. Slowly, he glared at himself, about ready to let another slough of insults his way. When he looked to his left and saw Ford's reflection next to his.

"If I didn't have this damn plate in my head, we could just erase him completely with the memory gun when he steps inside my mind."

Within seconds, Stan's eyes widened in shock. Within seconds, he realized something. It was as if someone flipped a switch and an idea popped into his head, it shined, like a light bulb. It was a something so simple that he could physically kick himself for not realizing it faster.

Him and Ford were twins. Identical twins.

Oh **fucking **duh!

It was so obvious. How had the idea not come up sooner?

"Hold on a fucking second." He said aloud, grasping at Ford's arm to get his attention.

"What?" He heard his brother return, almost sounding concerned. "Stan—"

"Stanford. You and I are twins."

Ford blinked at him and gave him an owlish kind of expression confused. "Yes? And?"

Stan huffed, frustrated that Ford wasn't seeing the big picture here. C'mon Sixer, your suppose to be the smart one. "Remember when we were 14 and we pretended to be each other to see if Pa really did love us enough to tell us apart?"

"Yes, of course but I don't see how that helps us now—"

Ugh, how was Ford not getting this!? "Poindexter, you maybe a genius but **god** your an idiot." Stanley pinched the bridge of his nose with his finger tips and sighed. "Look do you trust me?" That sentence, Stan noticed left Ford to pause for a few seconds and Stanley tried to not let it show much that hesitation hurt. "I'll rephrase then. Do you trust that I have a plan?"

Ford blinked at him and for a moment Stan thought his brother was gonna say no. But to his relief Stanford nodded a few seconds later.

Stan returned the gesture, taking off his Fez. "Okay, now take off your clothes and let's work on getting you and I to sound like each other."

•

•

•

"So your plan is to pretend to be me and make a deal with Bill?" Ford asked as they both exchanged clothes.

"Ya said it yourself, Sixer. There's nothing in my mind he wants, Stanley's mind is worthless, but if you and I switch places and let that triangle think I'm you then while he's inside my brain, you can use that memory thingy and erase him." Stan explained as he tugged his brother's turtleneck over his head. "That way the kids will be safe and the entire world won't be enslaved by a Dorito." Stan felt himself smiling, feeling oddly proud of himself that he was finally able to do some good for once in his life instead of just screwing up like usual. "Pretty good plan, huh?"

"Yes, Stanley. But—" Out of his peripherals, he saw Ford looking at the ground.

"But what?"

"Using the memory gun. It won't just erase Bill. Using it on you… it'll erase you. There will be nothing left of you. You'll be nothing but a hallow shell of who you used to be."

Oh

Shit

He forgot about that part.

That did make him hesitate for a few seconds, because there would really be nothing left of him? Nothing left of who he had once been? But as the walls of Bill's fortress. He knew they didn't have much time, that this was their best option, and it was do or die now. Taking a breathe, Stanley steeled himself, squaring up his shoulder, he exhaled with a huff. "Stanley Pines died a long time ago, what's makes this any different?"

He heard Ford intake a sharp breathe, "You– You don't… All your memories, Stan? Will be gone, you won't remember **who you are**. You won't remember the kids, the town or Ma and Pa… me. Nothing." Stanley almost had to do a double take because it almost, almost sounded as though, Ford sounded concerned. "Are you really willing to do all that?"

Stan swallowed the sudden lump in his throat, as raised his hands to his hair and tried his best to make it look like Ford's. The same train of thought coming back and breaching through the cracks of his courage, yes it was indeed a scary concept. The thought of forgetting the kids, his parents, Soos and Wendy, even Gomper and Waddles? Thoughts trailed through his mind, everything becoming a storm over a windy sea. What would become of him once he lost everything, lost himself? What would he do? Who would he be, if Stanley Pines would be gone forever?

But this wasn't about him, it's never been about him. He was doing this for the kids, for his weird ass town that he loved so much, for the world.

And for Ford too.

"After all the mistakes I made, Ford. All of my screw ups. Breaking your project, pushing your through the portal, basically ruining your entire life…" Stanley swallowed yet again, this time he turned to Ford and looked his brother in the eyes and smiled. "This is my redemption. My chance to finally do something **right**, to for once in my entire life not be a fuck up to everyone around me. To save the kids, you and the world. We have to do this, I have to do this." Stanley bent down, picking up Ford's coat and belt and quickly put them on. "Besides, you did say that you wanted your name back, your house back. This way, everyone wins."

He hadn't meant that last comment to sound harsh. He was just stating a matter of fact. But Ford flinched away as though he'd been slapped all the same.

"Stanley…"

Despite himself, Stan laughed. Walking over to his brother to adjust the tie around Ford's neck. Then he plucked his Fez that Ford held in his hands and placed on his brother's head. "Careful, Sixer. You almost sound like you care." Gently, he reached forward with both his hands and took off their glasses and switched them.

"I'm gonna be like Spock from Star Trek, Poindexter. Savin' friends and family. Babes dig that."

He expected Ford to at least chuckle at his joke at the most since it was good, but instead as his eyes adjusted to his brother's prescription glasses, the only thing he saw on his twin's face was— Stanley blinked, surprised to see guilt and sadness on his brother's face. And then it was like everything around them stopped. "Sixer?"

"I…I was wrong." Was all Ford could say before he had to stop and swallow loudly. And just for a moment, it looked as thought Ford was either gonna hug him or start crying with how hard he was shaking. "Everything negative I ever thought about you. Everything negative Pa ever told me about you. All my bitterness and anger towards you. Was wrong, I was _wrong_. Stanley, I—"

A loud bang abruptly echoed through the fortress, cutting off whatever Ford was about to say. Then Stan's heart almost ceased in his chest when he heard the echoing screams of Dipper and Mabel.

As much as Stan appreciate Ford's words, appreciated his twin's sudden change of thought of him. They couldn't do this right now. "I 'ppreciate what your trying to say, Ford. But right now isn't the time to have a heart to heart. Bill has the kids, we have to do this now. So shut up, and mimic me like we did when we were kids."

The sudden command in Stan's tone made Ford clamp shut immediately, eyes downcast to the floor, a frown on his face. Stan wanted to give his twin some sort of comfort but as they practiced with what little time they had left to sound like the other, Stanley realized that sadly, they were out of time.

And as they heard and more so felt the rumbles of Bill approaching them, Stanley took one last look at Ford, giving his brother's shoulder a light squeeze and asked with a smile. "Do you trust me, Sixer?"

And this time he didn't deny himself the heartache he felt when Ford look back at him, eyes shining with tears before he wiped them away with his sleeve. Regret on his face. "Yes."

"Good, now let's save the world."

* * *

Like I said there was no reason as to why I did this other then surprise that I hadn't done this before. It's not the best thing I've written and definitely so since I'm rusty when it comes to writing for Gravity Falls but here it is nonetheless.

A penny for your thoughts? Feedback is always welcomed and appreciated in a review down below and I will see you all later.


End file.
